


Back to the English Coast

by InfinitySatan



Category: Something Rotten! - Kirkpatrick/Kirkpatrick/O'Farrell
Genre: Bottomcest, Brother/Brother Incest, But I'm tagging it with ship tags anyways, Can be taken as platonic or romantic, Canon Era, Flashbacks, Fluff, Incest, John!Nigel, M/M, NickNige, Nostalgia, Reflection, Rob!Nick, Sibling Incest, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:40:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29134956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfinitySatan/pseuds/InfinitySatan
Summary: The brothers return to a place they once knew.
Relationships: Nick Bottom & Nigel Bottom, Nick Bottom (Something Rotten!)/Nigel Bottom, Nick Bottom/Nigel Bottom
Kudos: 3





	Back to the English Coast

The cold ocean breeze swept across the land. It was a cool summer’s night, stars dotting the pitch-black sky and twinkling so beautifully, the bright moonlight reflecting onto the seemingly endless sea underneath it. The beach area was largely surrounded by cliffs, keeping it safe and snug, giving it a sense of protection. But what was truly eye-catching was the opening that led to the water. It was large, somewhat daunting, but paradoxically at the same time, welcoming. It really was a sight to behold — a sight one could not easily forget.

Below all those rocky cliffs, at the bottom of the beach near the shoreline, sat a young boy on a small boulder. He pouted, holding onto a large stick, letting out an annoyed sigh as he watched the waves come in. Minutes prior, he had written something in the sand. However, those words kept finding themselves being washed away by the waves. It was frustrating for sure, watching your creation get erased right before your very eyes. He had had enough of it.

“It keeps happening!” His voice echoed throughout the area.

He soon heard footsteps approaching him. It was his brother, of course. Who else would it be? As he came closer, he formed a slight smirk. On one hand, yeah, he felt bad for his poor little brother. On the other hand, though, he found it a bit humorous. They _were_ just some words written in the sand, but those words meant the world to him.

“And _I keep_ telling you to move up so the water won’t wash it away!”

Nigel kept pouting, beginning to sway the stick back and forth ever so slowly. He was looking down at the sand below his feet, finding himself lost in thought. It was then when Nick took the stick from out of Nigel’s grasp. While he was confused by this action, he didn’t protest it. He simply kept up his pout as his older brother approached the shore.

Nick strategically moved up and down along the shore, trying to recall exactly where the waves would stop sweeping in. Eventually, he had pinpointed the spot, impaling the sand with the large stick. He began to mark the ground below him. Nigel watched from afar, his pout fading away and being replaced by a curious look. The older one focused on his work, drawing lines in the sand and making sure it looked perfect. Several minutes came and went before Nigel saw Nick stop marking the ground.

“Nige, come here, I think you’ll like this one.”

Slowly, Nigel got off of the rock, making his way towards Nick and gasping upon seeing what he had done.

In the sand, far up enough so it wouldn’t wash away, was a drawing. A drawing of the two of them, smiling, holding hands, just looking so incredibly happy. Underneath the somewhat crude illustration read, “Bottom Brothers Forever,” punctuated with a small heart at the end.

Nigel’s eyes twinkled in excitement and pure joy, turning to face his brother and holding him up off the ground. Nick laughed as he dropped the stick from his hands, smiling as Nigel held him tightly.

“Awh, Nige—”

“I love it! I love it, I love it _, I love it!_ ” He repeated over and over. Nick couldn’t stop giggling at how adorable his younger brother was behaving. Eventually, he let him go, still bouncing and grinning and making little noises out of his overwhelming happiness.

Looking back down at the drawing, Nigel continued to keep up his bubbly attitude. But he soon found himself crouching down and eventually kneeling before it. He reread the text. "Bottom Brothers Forever." 

Nigel brought his hand to the sand, poking it with his pointer finger. He moved his finger through the sand for a moment before taking it back out.

Nick let out a small "Aww…"

Nigel had drawn a heart right next to Nick's. Slightly smaller, but with the same amount of love behind it. Nick lowered himself to the ground, sitting down as Nigel sat too. He wrapped an arm around him, holding his younger brother close.

"Bottom Brothers forever?"

"Forever and ever. Don't doubt it for a second, Nigel."

Nigel rested his head on Nick's shoulder, closing his eyes as his bubbly attitude faded into a content one. The two of them just stayed there for a while, listening to the waves come in, but never enough to wash the words and drawings away.

* * *

Nigel sat on the edge of the cliff, staring down at the water. It was another cold summer night, just the same as the many nights before. He watched the waves come in, then out, then in, then out again. He listened to the noises it made whenever the water splashed against the land. It brought him back to when he was young. When he and Nick were just little kids. When he and Nick were more innocent.

That was so many years ago. Nearly two decades, even. He was now in his late 20s, and he hadn't been back to the English Coast since he was about 10 or 11 years-old. They'd moved on from Cornwall and were now in England, had been for 10 years. But it never felt right leaving their entire childhood behind, forever. While he had no family to return to — biological family, that is — he had many places he could revisit. The English Coast was no exception. 

"Just as beautiful as I remember." Nick spoke.

"It really is…"

Nick joined his brother on the ground, remembering all the good times the two of them shared. They used to play in the sand, splash each other in the water, and collect whatever seashells they could see within the immediate area. There was this one time where Nigel had found a small crab, and desperately tried to convince Nick to keep it. Of course, it didn't happen, but still. The memory itself was enough to bring him a bit of joy. Nick chuckled to himself a little, looking down at his hands as he weaved his fingers in and out.

"What?"

"Just… it's the nostalgia, y'know? All the stuff we did here… we used to go here with mom and dad too, and sometimes we'd just sneak out here at night to have fun until dawn, and run back home before they found out…"

"Heh, y-yeah…"

"... Do you ever wonder what it would be like? If… if mom and dad were still here?"

"All the time…"

Nick looked at his younger brother, his expression shifting to one of deep thought.

"What's on your mind, Nige?"

"I just miss them… all of them…"

He sighed. "I do too, you know I do…"

The taller one found himself staring at the moon. That big, shining bright moon. "Do you think we still would've left Cornwall if they… if they were still around, back then?"

Nick sat there for a moment, hesitating a bit before replying. "I… I don't know. We'll never know. Maybe we would've, maybe we wouldn't have…"

"I just wonder if we still would've ended up as playwrights if we had stayed there… and I wonder if we still would've met Will… and Bea… and Portia… all of them."

"Mom still encouraged us no matter what. She always told us, day after day, that we would make it big. No matter where we were, or what we were. She'd always tell us that the Bottom Brothers could do whatever they put their mind to."

"... D-Do you think she was right? Do you think we made it big?"

"Of course we have," Nick chuckled. "Look at us, we've been rivaling against William Shakespeare, England's so-called 'best playwright,' someone who everyone calls 'The Bard.' But we're all bards, you, me, and him. And honestly, you're so much better than he could ever dream to be."

Nigel shook his head. "Nick, stoppp…"

"I really mean it. His writing is nothing compared to yours, I know it. We've already made it big, but we'll make it even bigger once we finally beat Will at his own game!"

"Do you really think we can?"

"No, I _know_ that _you_ _will_. You don't even need me to succeed. You've proven to me that you got all these amazing ideas in that head of yours, ones that I can't even wish to come up with."

He blushed at the compliment. "Your writing is good too… I-I think it's better than Will's…"

"But it's still nothing when compared to yours. You have a real talent, Nige. I just wish you could see it…"

The two of them just sat there in silence for the next few minutes, staring up at the starry night sky and listening to the waves crashing against the shore. Nigel felt Nick scoot closer, resting his head on his shoulder and exhaling. He sounded both tired and content. The silence still remained for a few moments until Nick decided to speak again. 

"You're the most amazing person I know, have ever known, and probably will ever know. Talented, funny, loving, kind… the best little brother I could ever ask for."

Nigel tilted his head a bit, trying to get it closer to Nick's. "And you're th-the best brother _I_ could ever ask for…"

Abruptly, Nick stood, and he motioned Nigel to do the same. They found themselves walking down to reach the beachfront, and once they did, Nigel knew what they were about to do.

Nick handed him a large stick. "Don't get too close to the water this time, mhm?"

He walked towards the shore with a stick of his own, started to draw, and Nigel quickly followed suit. They drew for what felt like forever, and as their arms grew tired, they took it as a sign that they were done. 

The two of them backed up a bit and looked down at their creation. It was a much cleaner drawing of the one from all those years ago. Still smiling, still holding each other close, still just as happy. At the bottom it read, "Bottom Brothers Forever: Nicky and Nigey against the world." Still punctuated with a couple of hearts, just as before.

"We're inseparable, I know it." Nick said. "You and I have been by each other's side for forever, and it'll never change. I promise, little brother. Cross my heart."

Nigel hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go. Nick hugged back, smiling into his brother's neck.

"I love you, Nige. Never forget it. Never doubt it. Bottom Brothers forever, right?"

"Y-Yeah… Bottom Brothers forever…"

They eventually sat down, still holding each other close as they watched the waves splash about. It may have been cold, but they were content, comfortable, and could easily fall asleep right then and there if they really wanted to.

Nick moved his head up to give Nigel a small peck on the cheek. He gave him a warm smile. "My a'th kar, Nigey…"

Nigel smiled back. "I love you too..."


End file.
